Children play war games. Someone is “ours”, someone is fascists. And always "ours" win. It `s naturally. But still, how to properly present children with information about a real war?
How, without injuring tender baby souls, tell children about the war? And, most importantly, to convey to them all the pain of people and the joy of victory in the Great Patriotic War.
Veterans are leaving ...
Probably, the theme of war and veterans on May 9 is still closer to modern adult moms and dads. Indeed, in almost every family there lived direct participants in the Great Patriotic War.
Being small, today's adults listened to the reliable stories of grandparents about the life and hardships of that time. In kindergartens, schools devoted a lot of time to patriotic education.
Films, books, stories of real participants in the hostilities helped children to feel the whole situation. And how often it happened that, playing the “war game”, the guys would never agree to be fascists, everyone wanted to be for “ours”.
Now many veterans have left us forever. Hearing firsthand the tales of the blockade and famine is no longer possible. But history cannot be rewritten. Children need to know and honor the feat of their ancestors at any time.
What kind of victory is this?
Depending on age, it is necessary to present information to the children about the Great Patriotic War. Our country celebrates Victory Day very solemnly. Kids often ask questions about what kind of holiday is whoever defeated whom, why with tears in their eyes.
Therefore, it is necessary to tell children about the Great Russian Victory. This will help reading the appropriate books, watching movies.
Start with the basics
Nevertheless, the war is a very controversial and difficult topic. Accordingly, the question arises of how to tell children about the war, how to explain to kids all the pain and horrors without injuring and scaring them.
Here you need to listen to the words of child psychologists who advise you to start with general information. Gradually present knowledge deeper and deeper.
The main thing is to convey the idea that the Second World War is the most terrible and great war in the history of mankind, which aimed to enslave a lot of people, and just destroy many.
Children must understand that the Soviet army and the entire Soviet people helped to cope with the Nazis, freeing not only Russian lands and people, but also many European states.
Is war bad?
When considering how to tell children about the war, it is important to answer the question that has arisen: "Is war bad?" It may seem that by fighting, you can get the benefit.
When telling children about the war, it is worth emphasizing that, as a rule, people in power begin it. But do not think that, for example, the entire German nation is bad.
Presenting information to the children about the Great Patriotic War, it should be said that many people in Germany also lived very badly. Not all people supported Hitler, and for this they were punished.
Modern children, even toddlers, often play computer "shooters." This is where the misconception often arises that war is like a game. I did not like the finale, I started all over again. Yes, and players have several lives. It is necessary to give truthful information to children about the war, tell and show with the help of books, films how many people died, and they cannot be revived.
Start a conversation
Start talking about the war should be in preschool age. As psychologists recommend, do not show all the horrors and bloodshed.
How can children tell about the war? Start with the concept. What is it? Why do people fight and what do they want to get?
Show in films how ordinary people live during the war, what they have to worry about.
Having told about the essence, you can start the story about the Great Patriotic War. A child should feel pride and respect for his people and his belonging to a glorious nation.
Victory Attributes
How can children tell about the war so that they can understand that this also applies to their family? Surely in many houses there are carefully stored medals, orders of grandfathers and grandmothers. Many carefully keep old photographs, letters and other things of the war years.
Show it all to the baby. Tell us who is depicted in the photographs, explain why the medals were received.
If there are museums of military glory in your city, be sure to bring your child there. Experienced guides will tell interesting stories about the war to children, and you too.
By visiting the museum, you can clearly show your child military uniforms, see dugouts and military equipment. So the kid can really imagine the life and life of the soldiers.
Holiday with tears
Before the holiday of May 9, many parents begin educational conversations and classes with children. Primary school children are also told about the war in school.
It is very good to act together with the teacher. In the classroom, children read books, listen to teacher's stories, and conduct various events.
Themed weeks can also be spent at home. Be sure to find and read poetry about the war on children. You can even learn some of the most interesting.
Do crafts with the kids, discuss read books about the war. Children need to feel the festive mood, pride in the Russian victory.
Be sure to get ready and go to the Victory Parade. Put flowers to the monuments with the baby, listen to songs about the war. It will be interesting for children to see how veterans are honored, how proudly soldiers walk, what military equipment exists to protect the state.
It is very good if veterans live in your environment. Together with the child make a gift in the form of a card and give it. Listen to the stories of the veteran and offer your help in solving everyday problems.
George Ribbon
Surely the children, seeing beautiful striped ribbons in the streets, will ask about why they are put on.
This is another reason to tell children about the attributes of the holiday, why they are worn and what they mean.
St. George ribbon is a symbol of our victory and a symbol of the holiday. Those who put it on show respect for the memory of the dead and show that they remember and honor veterans.
More recently, a wonderful tradition has emerged when ribbons began to be distributed on the streets. This action was held to remind people of the feat of warriors, so that the people would think and take care of the veterans.
The tradition has taken root. Now our children can also put on a St. George ribbon and feel like part of a big celebration.
Be sure to tell the kids why St. George's ribbons of this color. They were issued together with the medal "For the victory over Germany."
Orange and black colors mean fire and smoke. This is the valor, courage and courage of a soldier who received a medal.
Adults are simply obliged to read stories about the war to children, to give all information possible for their understanding. And, most importantly, there will not be a single family that has not been touched by the Great Patriotic War. Someone grandfather or grandfather fought, someone worked for the good of the front, someone survived the blockade.
Home conversations
Take out your old family album. Where your grandparents are depicted. Tell which one of them is what. Tell an interesting story about their life during the war.
Then read poetry about the war. It will be useful for children to hear about how and when the Nazis attacked our homeland. The fact that this happened suddenly, in the morning and without warning.
Find and show pictures or photographs of military equipment of those times, soldier's greatcoats, defeated cities and villages.
It is very informative to measure and show 125 grams of bread. After all, it was food for the whole day and nothing else could be obtained. And despite this, every day I had to go to the factory and make shells for the front, to provide rear services. After all, without support it was impossible to win. All the people defended the homeland.
Then be sure to listen to songs about the war. Older children can be invited to memorize some. Watch a war movie. Just see it for yourself first. Do not leave your child alone with a book or movie. Be sure to be together and discuss what they saw or read.
Make no mistake while talking
- No need to tell too many horrors and show bloodshed.
- Do not preschoolers talk about concentration camps, tormented children and hunger when they ate dogs and cats. Because of this, babies may experience nightmares and nervous tics. But in high school it is already necessary to give similar information.
- No need to give false information. Of course, the main thing for preschoolers is to know that the Russian people have won. But older children should already understand that not everything was so smooth that the Russians were not at all ready for war and even almost surrendered Moscow.
- Do not be afraid to show great emotionality, to show how this topic can be unpleasant, how you are afraid of war. And if always the fearless dad suddenly admits that he is afraid of the outbreak of war, then this will make a much greater impression on the children than just a story about the life of the soldiers.
Consider the age of the child
The main thing in conversations and stories on such a topic as war is to take into account the age and psyche of the child. Talking about such a topic, one can’t get around the concept of death. It is important to understand that children are ready to hear about this no earlier than 5-6 years. It is at this age that the baby can already ask and ask questions on this topic. Do not hide the truth, but you do not need to bully a child.
Think about it, because our children can hardly meet real veterans and hear true stories. Kids can only be familiar with the "children of war." But they cannot know much because of their age and convey all the pain and horrors of hostilities.
Yes, almost all families were affected by the war. Many of our ancestors courageously fought with the enemy, suffered all the torments and burdens. This should never happen again. And so that this does not happen, children must know everything about that time. No need to be silent. Tell the children about the war, about the Great Victory, about the courage of the Russian people.
Conversations, books, films, rare meetings with veterans - all this is that inextricable thread that helps us connect with the past. Do not tear it. It is necessary to remember and honor.